Isaiah Thomas 2016-2017: Greatest Celtic Offensive Season Ever?

[PhoSita]

The Celtics are a storied franchise.  Some of the greatest players in the history of the game have played their best ball while wearing Celtics green.

Is it crazy, then, to suggest Isaiah Thomas might be having the greatest offensive season by a Celtic ever?

Maybe.  Or maybe not.

Since 1979 -- i.e. when the three point line became a thing -- the top Celtics individual player seasons by Win Shares include the following:


Larry Bird, 1987-1988 .... 11.2 Offensive Win Shares in 76 games.

39 minutes per game

29.9 points,
6.1 assists / 2.8 turnovers,
1.4 offensive boards,
1.3 made threes,
6.0 free throw attempts,
54.6 / 41.4 / 91.6 shooting


Kevin McHale, 1986-1987 .... 10.8 Offensive Win Shares in 77 games.

39.7 minutes

26.1 points,
2.6 assists / 2.6 turnovers
3.2 offensive boards,
0 threes made,
6.6 free throw attempts,
60.4 / 0 / 83.6 shooting


Paul Pierce, 2005-2006 .... 8.3 Offensive Win Shares in 79 games.

39 minutes

26.8 points,
4.7 assists / 3.5 turnovers,
1.0 offensive boards,
1.4 threes made,
10.3 free throw attempts,
47.1 / 35.4 / 77.2 shooting.


This is what Isaiah is on track to do this year:

75 games played

34.4 minutes

29.7 points,
6.4 assists / 2.6 turnovers
0.6 offensive boards,
3.2 threes made,
8.6 free throw attempts,
46.8 / 38.6 / 91.5 shooting.

Overall, he is on track to garner 12.5 Offensive Win Shares, which would be the second most for a Celtic EVER. 

The only Celtic who has more Offensive Win Shares than that in a single season is Ed Macauley, who had seasons with 13 and 14 Offensive Win Shares back in the early 50's, when the game was entirely different.


None of this even takes into account Isaiah's fourth quarter scoring brilliance, which has been utterly, inexplicably dominant.


What do you think?  Can he keep this up?  If he does, where will it rank for you with the all-time Celtics scoring seasons?

[Denis998]

He very well might be, I think as Celtics fans, we are very protective of the teams history. IT might very well be on his way be writing his own path in Celtics lore. If he wins it all, his number will be hanging in the raptors with the best of them. Some may doubt that Isaiah has the capability to be that guy on a championship team, but to this point the one consistency in his career has been defying expectations.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Great...but I wish that Larry Bird had shot as many 3 pointers as the guys of today.

[PhoSita]

He very well might be, I think as Celtics fans, we are very protective of the teams history. IT might very well be on his way be writing his own path in Celtics lore. If he wins it all, his number will be hanging in the raptors with the best of them. Some may doubt that Isaiah has the capability to be that guy on a championship team, but to this point the one consistency in his career has been defying expectations.

Hahaha.  Nice little slip there.

[Boris Badenov]

Teammates matter. I bet if you put Bird or McHale on this team without any other great offensive players, their numbers would be insane. Bird also affected offensive play in so many dimensions.

But it's not a crazy discussion. Which in and of itself says a lot.

[PhoSita]

Teammates matter. I bet if you put Bird or McHale on this team without any other great offensive players, their numbers would be insane. Bird also affected offensive play in so many dimensions.

But it's not a crazy discussion. Which in and of itself says a lot.

Yeah, I imagine McHale would put up Anthony Davis type offensive numbers in today's league.

Who knows what Bird might be able to do.

But I agree, the fact that this is even a discussion is what I find really interesting / exciting.

[LGC88]

The thing is, he doesn't look like he's forcing the issue. They make play for him and he scores, or else he always try to find the best play possible.
I don't feel he's over-performing at all. He has stamina and he's patient in the game, involving his team mates and revealing his iso moves only when it matter the most (4th).
I don't see why he should have games less than 30pts for now on. They obviously tried to double him or clog the paint, it didn't work.
I'm betting on IT finishing best scorer at around 32pts per game at the end of the regular season.

[max215]

He's having one of the most efficient volume scoring seasons ever. Ranking across eras is difficult, but it's up there.

[oldtype]

Over the last December and January he's been roughly comparable to MVP Steph Curry.  It's insane.

[vjcsmoke]

IT is having a very special season.

That said if Bird in his prime was playing in today's NBA he'd be scoring 40 ppg simply because he'd be allowed to shoot more 3's and he was an insanely good long range shooter.

[Bobshot]

IT has gone crazy shooting lately because their 2nd highest scorer, Bradley, has been out. And they really have nobody else to consistently take up the slack. One of their weaknesses. The other great Celtics teams had 3-4 shooters. Ainge knows that well. He was one of them for a few years.

[slamtheking]

IT is having a very special season.

That said if Bird in his prime was playing in today's NBA he'd be scoring 40 ppg simply because he'd be allowed to shoot more 3's and he was an insanely good long range shooter.

that and if Bird played today he'd encounter less hand checking and D that's less physical.   he'd be even more unstoppable if playing today.